


To the Ends of the Earth

by DarthButtercup



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-06
Updated: 2012-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-03 03:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/376713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthButtercup/pseuds/DarthButtercup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where Dave had to grow up without John, imagination often had to fill the gaps. When John enters the Alpha session and saves Dave's life, Dave is unwilling to let go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This written for an Alpha!Dave/Beta!John prompt received through tumblr.

             _When the end came, it arrived in the shattering of glass, a flash of light. And it did not last for long._

            For the past several days, Dave had been hearing odd reports. Well, considering the types of things he heard, even odder than usual. There was some big shit about to go down, and it had nothing to do with his upcoming movie. Like anything really ever had to do with his movies. The movie was nothing big, just enough to piss off all the right people. No, this was about something entirely different, and his gut feeling was that it was a lot more serious than he could have ever come up with on his own.

            _It was a relief, moving to the other side. Relieving, until he had learned what it meant… what was happening._

            The reports Dave received from his agents varied, based on how deep the Batterwitch had gotten her little fondant claws into his web of information. The somewhat reliable only told him that Crocker Corp was on the move. Something had shaken the company, incited them to re-evaluate the distribution of their troops. (How odd, to think of a simple corporation having troops. Oh, the things the world was coming to.) The most trustworthy of Dave’s sources had informed him that there had been an odd, green flash in the night sky, and all of Crocker Corp was in a frenzy because of it. It was good to know that there were more out there than just him, all working to bring the Batterwitch down. It was an incredible satisfaction, learning that he was not as alone as he had suspected.

            _Two faces peered down at John, worried. Only a little early, they explained. Only slightly ahead of the others. There was plenty for them to do while they waited, a lot of work for them to do, if only he would get over this fit he was having._

It was supposed to be hard, remaining such a public figure while openly subverting the Batterwitch’s plans, but Dave had just done what was natural. He only knew one other who did the same, although he couldn’t say that lovely author Lalonde had ever been open about anything. They both did the best that they could, considering they were mere mortals. Combined fame and antagonism of the Alien Bitch meant that Dave always kept at least one mode of defense on his person. He had been made fun of for it, but…

            Dave shook his head, looking back to the script in his hand. No one had ever teased him for always keeping a sword with him. No one had ever known. Why was his mind trying to trick him into thinking someone had?

            _Two long dead, not that John wanted to worry about meeting himself anyway, and two still alive. But, the look on Jade’s face said it all. Alive right now did not mean their two friends –rather, their counterparts, as Jade reminded him– would stay alive for long. Obviously that was the first thing they had to take care of!_

            The nature of these unexpected allies was still a complete mystery to Dave, and he had recently come to realize just how much he hated mysteries. If he had known who they were, how they would act, he might have been able to coordinate with them. But, as it was, all Dave heard were rumors of green light, and of the Imperial Drones chasing after those streaks, lines of light that were long gone. Once, something this important might have warranted a call to check on Dirk, but Dave didn’t want to put the little man at any more risk than he was already in. He would never forgive himself if he led that Alien Bitch back to Dirk.

            In an attempt to curb his dangerous impulses, Dave crossed his legs and continued to scheme, with some horrible script in his lap. He knew how difficult it was to survive Crocker Corp’s burning scrutiny, had been hiding Dirk beneath it since the company had turned murderous, and with the aliens bringing all of their weight to bear on his new allies, they could probably use a little help. A distraction was right along Dave’s line of expertise.

He knew just what to do.

_They were being followed, but even these huge insects that Jade told him were Imperial Drones could not keep up with them. Not with Jade at the helm, which was still a pretty damn awesome sight. The ones that had managed to surprise them had found out just what it meant to deal with a God Tier. But, it was hard to get to the adult Dave and Rose when they had to run like this. Even Jade’s teleportation powers had limits, and they still had no idea how much the Condesce knew about them, or their plans._

It was the perfect plan. After this, if there were _any_ drones going after the green enigma, Dave would be extremely surprised. He was going to put a stake right in Crocker Corp’s heart. Hours of planning had gone into figuring this one out, doing his research and gathering the materials he would need to cause a ruckus Crocker Corp would never forget.

The whole process had taken much longer than Dave had wanted. His suppliers had balked at the amount of explosives he asked for, and it had taken far too long to acquire it all, avoiding their pointed questions that Dave knew he dared not answer. It wasn’t until one of them had asked why Dave was doing this that he had paused to truly examined his motives. Why was he doing this, for someone who may not even be on his side?

But something, deep down, whispered to his mind that Dave was doing the right thing. This was the only thing he could possibly do. And so, with no further hesitation, Dave had set up his ploy to perfection. For once in his life, Dave could say that he had done something truly impressive. The Betty Crocker ‘factory’ that held many of the inactive drones made a very nice ball of flames, better than he had ever managed in his movies. More than enough to live up to the Strider name.

Dave was strangely content, keeping an eye on the blaze from well within his studio halfway across the city. He had wanted to watch in person, but Dave had learned some caution since the years of his youth. Back then he would have awaited the remaining Drones on a rooftop across from the magnificent explosion, sword in hand. He could not risk that much any more, not when there was a kid he needed to protect.

            …What was that crashing sound?

_Jade called his name, and John heard the urgency in her tone. Danger, she said, and John had to go now._


	2. Chapter 2

            Dave had not been prepared for the Drones to catch his trail so quickly. Sure, Crocker Corp worked fairly quickly, but it still should have taken them more time to figure out that the explosion had been his fault, longer still to find where Dave had been holed up. Considering the number of offices Dave kept as decoys, this would hardly have been the first they would check.

            Unless… perhaps Dave  _had_  ticked off the Batterwitch as much as he had intended to, or at least enough that she was having him followed. That would be the sweetest revelation, to find that he had gotten under that thick, grey skin and driven her crazy. Sweet enough, perhaps, to sufficiently make up for his death at the hands of giant, red insects. It wasn’t exactly ironic, perhaps the least poetic of deaths, but at least Dave would have died fighting against that tyrannous monster. Dave knew he didn’t have the time to pull his greatsword from the sylladex, much less make a grand stand. But he would be damned if he wouldn’t at least die on his feet, facing the enemy like a man.  _Like Bro_.

            …That made no sense at all, but Dave had no time to evaluate the thought, for he was facing eight-foot-tall monsters, goliaths that almost made his eyes itch from how very vividly red they were. Slowly, calmly, Dave pushed his shades up his nose and then stuffed hands into his pockets, projecting a calm he did not feel. “You’re late,” he told the Drones, jutting out his chin.

            A strong gust of wind sent several of the Imperial Drones flying, just enough of it catching Dave that he rocked on his heels. That certainly could not have been natural. Dave had never needed to do a lot of research on weather, but even someone like him knew that hurricane force winds did not appear out of nowhere.

            Something told Dave that such winds were also usually not accompanied by athletic young men wearing all blue. Nor would this young man usually be carrying a large hammer, or look extremely familiar. Something in Dave’s gut twisted, and he froze up like an idiot while some guy he felt he ought to know scattered Imperial Drones like they were nothing but bowling pins. Dark ichor oozed across the floor from the broken bodies of Drones.

            Only then did the young man turn around, and all of Dave’s expectations melted away in a mixture of dismay and confusion. His only saving grace was the straight face that he had practiced and worn for years, completely unaffected no matter the situation. He saw lips draw into a smile before forming words that Dave almost didn’t hear for the blood rushing in his ears. “Hey, Dave! It’s good to see you! I can see you’re as much of a dumbass as ever.” The last with said with a little laugh, the kind that was meant to be inclusive rather than mocking. And, in a flash of green, the apparition was gone.

            Dave blinked at the sudden absence of his ally… his friend. It had been years, decades even, since anyone but Dirk had gotten the jump on him, and he had always expected that the next time someone did, it would be to his death. It had been even longer since Dave had needed someone to come to his rescue – he preferred to think he had never needed that at all. And, while he had not expected the Batterwitch to act so quickly this time, Dave had known his death would come soon. How could he expect anything else, the way he antagonized her?

It was so odd, to offer up his life freely, and have it gifted back to him. Dave was supposed to die to save these allies that had given Earth more hope than he, nothing but a marketer of shitty products and a director of worse movies, ever could have. Somehow these mysterious allies had turned that right around, used Dave’s own ploy to save him. He knew he should feel grateful, but Dave was more stunned than anything else, not quite because he was still alive, but because of who had saved him.

            An adult of Dave’s age and prestige was supposed to have left imaginary friends to the realm of dreams long ago, perhaps pretend that he had never had them at all. Dave thought he had managed both, with this boy who had messy hair and an overbite. He had stopped seeing the guy everywhere he looked long ago, stopped feeling that odd ache in his heart like something was missing. It had been so very long since he had even dreamt about his friend, so long it was hard to remember his name.

            On top of it all, Dave remembered his imaginary friend as a scrawny kid of thirteen. He had been pretty average, extraordinary in his own quiet way. He had definitely not had magical powers, nor would he ever have been able to pick up a hammer that large. By all rights, Dave’s childhood imaginary friend shouldn’t have been any use in a fight. The boy he had seen was older than his imaginary friend had been, and had bulked up enough to heave that hammer around like it was nothing, smashing Imperial Drones like they were made of paper mâché.

            Memory stirred, and Dave’s breath caught in his throat.

             _John_.

             _His name is John_.

            It took Dave several moments to recover from the intense longing that a mere name had brought upon him. How many years had he longed for John? Waited to meet the person that he was reminded of every time he put on Ben Stiller’s shades, who was with him in spirit every time he wrote a script or made a movie. It was impossible. He had always known in his heart that John was not real, but had always continued on doing things for John anyway.

            Dave slumped to the floor, just barely avoiding landing his ass in a pool of ichor. How could John be real? If there hadn’t been more than enough evidence strewn across the set that John was more than just Dave’s imagination, was here, Dave would have denied it as a hallucination, the stress of fighting against the Batterwitch. It seemed so impossible, that John was real. That John was the ally he had been trying to protect.

            Realization hit Dave, sending him bolting to his feet. Just because he had been caught off his guard did not mean the world had stopped moving around him. First thing, Dave needed to arm himself. A quick little quip ejected his standard greatsword from his sylladex, something a good deal better than he had ever pretended to make. He couldn’t exactly remember where it had come from, but it was a fantastic weapon. Then Dave was running, dialing his cell as he did so.

            He needed to find John again. Protect him. But first, there was a kid who had been relying on his protection for a lot longer, and Dave owed it to Dirk to make sure the Drones hadn’t gone for their apartment too. The very idea made Dave’s heart plummet, solid like a rock within his chest, but there was too much to do now for Dave to pause. He needed to make a break for one of his many safe houses, and  _why wouldn’t the damn kid pick up the fucking phone?_

            After what seemed like ages, Dave managed to get a confirmation that Dirk was safe. Of course, Dirk had been in the shower. Dave combed fingers through his hair in relief. Dirk had learned his bathing habits from Dave, and he should have expected nothing less. Dave gave some excuse about having to stay at the shooting site longer than he’d thought, that he would wire Dirk some more money. It was only a few more miles to Dave’s nearest safe house, where he would be able to pause, to think, and perhaps even hatch a plan out of this whole mess.

            Whatever the plan would be, Dave knew that he wanted to see John again.


	3. Chapter 3

The safe house was in sight. What looked like a seedy motel in the heart of the city was actually a front for the best underground bachelor pad Dave had ever invested money in. The best part was that there was no trace, nothing that could be used to link it back to him, and thus Dirk. What Dave had once thought was excessive paranoia had worked out to his advantage, beyond Dave’s wildest nightmares. He only hoped that his redundant protection measures would keep Dirk safe while he waged war on this alien bitch.

            Dave’s current problem was actually getting into his safe house without getting spotted. Dave knew that he was getting some funny looks from the crowd, and was probably on youtube by now, walking the streets with a greatsword strapped to his shoulder and splattered with the ichor of Imperial Drones. Dave had learned the hard way the flashstepping _could_ still be caught on camera, which meant that he would have to sneak in a more old-fashioned way. He tried to remember if this place was one of the ones with a back door, or if he would be reduced to climbing up a fire escape and crawling through an open window.

            It took some planning, but Dave managed to skirt his way through a few deserted alleys, searching each section of wall for the back door. Thank goodness there was one near the dumpster, which made a good deal of sense in hindsight. All of the crap had to go somewhere when it broke. From that point it was easy to avoid the shitty cameras on a quest for the hidden door to the section of basement that Dave had long ago claimed as his own.

            And then Dave had made it, to an extremely comfortable living room. For some reason, all of the furnishings, ones that reminded him so much of home, only put Dave more on edge. Damn. That wasn’t what he’d intended at all. Sitting at a computer that was extremely familiar, and yet not quite his in the most frustrating way, Dave pulled up his banking information. Without much thought, he dumped most of his savings onto Dirk’s debit card. If Dirk ever needed more than that, Dave was pretty sure he had figured out all of their passwords. The kid would get by. That was the way Striders were: oddly self-sufficient.

            Dave did everything that he could for Dirk before daring to move on to his main objective. He needed to know more about what was going on right now. Walking the streets was less than conducive to staying on top of his information network, and he had some time to catch up on. About an hour had passed since he had blown up the factory, not much time at all, but news crews worked quickly when there was billowing smoke involved. As Dave had expected, there was media coverage of the Crocker factory. He settled in to listen to the report.

            _Manufacturing accident?_

            So Crocker Corp wanted to keep their true losses quiet. That hurt Dave’s pride a little, but was better for him in the long term. It meant that fewer actual humans would be out for his head, so it would be a little safer to poke his head outside, if he wanted to. That was good, because Dave knew he needed to check with his sources, get more information about John. Who had he come with? How was he teleporting places? Most importantly, why was his new ally someone he knew from years of imagined play?

            A question that was rather moot fifteen seconds later, as Dave blinked the stars from his eyes. His first instinct was to tense up, hand automatically reaching for his sword. This didn’t make sense. If the Batterwitch already knew what had happened back at the set, she would hardly need to follow him, much less pull this crap. Sure, the factory had been his fault, but the following attack should have boosted her confidence in being able to take him down any time she wanted. More importantly, why would she bother abducting him anyway? The bitch could just as easily kill him without worrying that he would escape.

            And then Dave heard a chuckle. That chuckle. “John?” Dave asked, turning toward the sound. He shouldn’t have sounded so desperate, but could not help but feel panic. Dave needed the reassurance, needed to know that he was not imagining all of this. Not that actually seeing John helped his nerves at all. Were those blue pajamas? Covered in ichor, no less. John had fought Imperial Drones off in his pajamas. There was a girl standing next to him, close enough in appearance to be John’s sister. “So, someone here is going to explain what’s going on? Or was I supposed to bring a magic eight ball?”

            From somewhere in the darkness to his right, Dave heard a noise of assent. “I agree that some elucidation is in order. As… nice,” The way she said the word made it sound dirty, “as it is to continue to subsist, the only one here with whom I am acquainted is the _gentlemanly_ Mr. Strider.” With that, Rose Lalonde stepped into the light. Dave had always appreciated her flair for the dramatic, but he was not in the mood for her long-winded demands, whether they echoed his or not.

            “And who’s the furry?”

            That had the intended effect of making John and the young woman burst into laughter, and Dave could not help but feel like he should recognize her as well. Her laugh felt as familiar as John’s. “I’m surprised you recognized me, Dave!” John said, moving closer to him. “Jade said that we never met in this world.” Dave carefully clamped down on the shiver that had wanted to go up his spine. _We didn’t meet, but how could I not know you?_ But it was too late, John had bounced over to Miss Lalonde.

            “My name is John, and this is my sister Jade. We came to save you!”

            Everyone ignored Rose’s muttered, “That is patently obvious.” From that point, John’s explanation devolved into utter bullshit that made no sense. Except, in a strange and convoluted way, it explained many recent events, including the alien invasion. If Dave hadn’t seen their powers first-hand, he might had disbelieved the story. This was all because of a _game?_ But it was the first thing in months that really sorted out what was going on.

            And if skeptical Lalonde was nodding knowingly, Dave thought it might just be true.

            “Well, that’s why we need to find the Condesce before Jack gets here!” John wrapped up his explanation with a huff, folding his arms. Dave still didn’t quite get who this Jack was, besides a Pretty Nasty Guy, but he could understand the need to take out the Batterwitch… Condesce… whoever that alien bitch was. That nasty shit had to be taken down. “But we feel better, now that you guys are safe. You two like to pull some pretty dumb heroic stunts.”

            Something about that tone hinted that John was speaking from past experience, but before Dave could ask about it, Jade had made a weird, dismayed noise in her throat. “I found your grandma, John. It doesn’t look good, and I’m afraid we’d better go now.”

            “Stay safe, guys!” And, with only three words notice, Dave was left alone with a gothic novelist in what he was pretty sure John had said was the cargo hold of a spaceship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, my apologies as I try to figure everything out here. I haven't been putting as much time into connecting with you readers as I usually do, and I feel bad about that.  
> Thanks to each and every one of you <3.


	4. Chapter 4

            The word that erupted from Rose’s mouth was one that Dave would never have expected to hear from her. She really didn’t seem like the passionate swearing type. On the other hand, they were stuck… on a spaceship that, last he checked, was supposedly somewhere near Orion’s codpiece. So Dave would allow Rose to break her usual cool composure.

            “What’s up, Lalonde?” Dave hoped she didn’t think it was too rude of him to strike up a conversation even as he strode off into the depths of the cargo hold, in search of a door to _anywhere_ , but preferably something that resembled a control room. Or even an escape pod. He wasn’t going to sit here like a good boy while the guy he had dreamt about for _years_ went and risked his life _over and over_ to save the world. He rather expected Lalonde would agree with him on that point.

            If she weren’t too busy looking extremely worried. “I had gone into town without informing Roxanne. I only left her the standard two-thousand in the deceptively simple hiding place… What is that expression supposed to convey?” Rose’s worry melted into aggravation quickly. “And what are you hoping to accomplish, over by the outer hull?”

            Dave shrugged, turning around and heading for the opposite wall. “Only you would name a kid ‘Roxanne’. She must hate it.”

            “Ha!” Rose snorted, trailing after Dave. “This coming from the man who confided in some nitwit of a pretty reporter that he had tried to name a kid ‘Dick’. Not Richard, but Dick. It is a wonder how the planets aligned to allow such tomfoolery. Oh, but I forgot! Their alignment only served to mock you, when at the last moment you switched the ‘c’ for an ‘r’. A natural slip, I understand.” Dave decided not to comment on the acidic bite to Rose’s tone, the one he would have too, if he hadn’t had time to check on Dirk already. After all, Rose was right. He had chickened out, remembered what it was like to be teased in school, and changed the name to something a little more reasonable. They both had every reason to worry about their little protégés right now, considering what they had done. Perhaps the best thing would be a little distraction for them both. “So, how did you know this side of the hull was the inner one?” Dave asked, palming the button to what looked like sliding door. It beeped at Dave, and he huffed, “Stupid thing.”

            For a moment, it seemed Rose would be silent. But when he turned to look at her, the woman had crossed her arms and was frowning at him. “It is painfully obvious, Mr. Strider. This side of the room is closer to the engines, and so is warmer and has a subtle hum.”

Listening carefully, he realized that Rose was right. Dave stepped aside, gesturing toward the door. “Would you like to try, oh wise one?”

“Why thank you, loyal knight. You’re pressing the ‘close’ button.” With that, Rose breezed through the open doorway.

There was more than one button? “It was to allow you the opportunity to correct my methodology, which you have to admit to enjoying just a little too much.” Dave shoved his concerns at how easily this banter was coming to him into some dark corner of his mind. It felt so familiar, this exchange, more familiar than it should have. Almost like they had been friends for forever, rather than two famous adults thrown together by circumstance. “So, what direction do you think the bridge is in?” Dave queried as both of them examined the hall they had stumbled into. Rose was proving strangely insightful, and if this streak continued, it would save Dave some considerable time.

“I would hazard a guess that it lies to our right, Mr. Strider, considering engines are usually in the aft of the ship.” The bite was back in Rose’s voice, and Dave could practically feel the tension coming off of her in waves. Rose turned that way, skirts billowing as she set off. With a deep breath to fortify him, Dave followed after her.

It wasn’t a skill of his… but Dave had to offer some comfort. “You know, Roxanne handles whole weeks home alone when you’re on tour. I’m sure a couple of days without you won’t make her flip shit. Especially, she’s a teen, right? The kid’s probably rejoicing and raiding your alcohol cabinet.”

Judging by the glare that Rose was now leveling at him, Dave had said something horribly wrong. “We should probably focus on locating the control room, rather than your rather pathetic attempts at reconciling my emotions, Strider.” But Rose’s voice was softer, her stance more relaxed. Maybe Dave had actually gotten that right? He could only hope he had.

What was that sound? It was like the clacking of claws on metal.

No.

Fucking hell, no. This was not allowed to happen.

“We need to get to an open area, Lalonde.”

A deathly calm befell Dave, and he could see it echoed in Rose’s eyes, even as one lip quirked up in dark amusement. “For once, something intelligent coming from your mouth, Strider. To the deck?”

“We’ll die!”

“While that would be the logical assumption, it is also a false one.” The self-assurance was so strong in Rose’s tone that Dave couldn’t bring himself to doubt her. She seemed just so much more in-the-know that he was, even as they charged up narrow staircases toward the deck.

It looked like they wouldn’t be fighting alone.

As Rose and Dave surfaced, a sea of creatures that came just about to Dave’s knee swarmed around them, running for the interior of the ship in a panic. Across the deck, something orange floated with a katana in its hands, making threatening bird noises at the Imperial Drones. Well, that was two useful fighters.

To Dave’s surprise, Rose was watching the Drones with the same grim determination he was, knitting needles in her hands. She expected to fight off Drones with _those?_ What was she going to do? Knit ropes to tie the Drones up with?

And then Rose had begun to chant in a language that was rather consonant heavy. It figured, that an author so deeply involved in writing about magic would know some herself. Dave turned his attention back to the deck. The bird… thing had glanced back at them, and for a moment Dave had thought someone was messing with him again, because that face looked oddly like his. There was no time to worry about that, though, for they had to defend the home ship.


	5. Chapter 5

            There was something extremely calming about being prepared to meet his enemy. There was no middle ground to worry about, nothing but Dave, his sword, and the fight. There was none of the panic that came when he was unarmed, none of the anxiety that he would do something wrong. No need to prove himself, because survival would be proof enough that he could take on anything sent his way. Nothing fancy, no words or parlance, just blood and sweat.

            And Dave was down with that.

            There weren’t as many Imperial Drones as Dave would have expected of a full-on attack. This was probably no more than a scout party, a minor force feeling around blindly for John and Jade’s location. Why that thought made him feel so angry, so protective, Dave did not know. But anger was energy, and he gladly converted it into a silent charge.

When his greatsword hardly made a dent in the Drone he had chosen, Dave had to flashstep to avoid the its powerful attack. There was no way he would be able to break that hard shell…

            “You have to aim for the joints, dumbass.” The floating orange thing yelled at Dave in a voice that was all too familiar. When this was all over, he was going to take a closer look at the apparition, because that voice sounded like a pubescent form of Dave’s own.

            Thanks to that advice, the next swing Dave made took one of the Drone’s arms with it, leaving a stump that dripped with dark ooze. He had never really considered it before, but perhaps John’s method of crushing the Imperial Drones made more sense than cutting them apart. But that was hardly going to stop Dave now, jumping to get a cut down through the neck joint, and hopefully into something really important.

            The crackle of static electricity almost threw Dave’s concentration, distracting him just enough that he hit his mark with more of jolt than the smooth slide of metal into soft flesh. Angry, Dave turned to find the source of the peculiar buzz in the air, paranoia making him wonder whether it would be friend or foe. …Rose? After a moment’s consideration, Dave decided not to call Rose out on it. He had never seen a woman look so fucking terrifying in his life, and that was including the plethora of raving mothers who claimed he had traumatized their children. Rose no longer looked worried, wasn’t agitated or angry in any way Dave could tell… instead, she sported a sadistic smile that chilled him to the bone. Visible electricity crept down her arms and along her knitting needles.

            And suddenly where the last functioning Drone had been standing, there was a charred mess.

            “Why don’t we, as your trite characters would express, ‘get down to motherfucking business’?” Rose hissed triumphantly, tossing her needles back into her sylladex like nothing had happened. “It would appear we have some time to work before the main force realizes that something has gone amiss.”

            Several moments passed, Dave watching Rose’s retreating form in shock, before there was a grunt from the floating orange guy. Oh, yeah… definitely a younger version of himself. And yet, that was not the weirdest thing he had seen today. “You know, she’s usually right about this stuff. I’d follow her.”

            Dave nodded, considering. Yeah, it probably was for the best if he did follow Rose, even if she was a damn scary woman. “You coming with? Hey… what am I even supposed to call you?”

            If Dave hadn’t learned to be so careful in his expressions, he would have winced at how plainly this younger, orange incarnation of himself demonstrated surprise. It was clear that he wasn’t exactly used to being included so freely. “Sure, man. And everyone calls me Davesprite.” Quirking their eyebrows at each other, the two set out after Rose, following her retreating form through the door nearest what Dave sincerely hoped was command and control. Davesprite flew up one of the wider staircases, leaving Dave to climb up the steps at a much more reasonable pace.

            The crazy author was already looking over instruments, her face again in the schooled look that was meant to inform the world that she found its proceedings quite dull. Dave waited a few moments for her to say something, do that thing where she knew more than someone just as new to this as he was should.  However, the words were not forthcoming. “So, what’s the plan, Lalonde?”

            His words elicited a frustrated sigh from Rose, who settled hands on her hips. “Clearly, between the pair of you, some course will have to be decided upon, and then you will have to pilot this ship through space.”

            Oh hell, no. “And where do you fit in this plan, Lalonde?” Dave’s heart dropped. They couldn’t leave him here alone! Well, with Davesprite, who had undoubtedly had to deal with this type of behavior before. Dave could feel the panic sink in, and had to tell himself to calm down. If he was going to be left all alone, he was going to be so fucking badass they would never guess how much it bothered him.

            At least Rose had the sense to look a little sheepish, fiddling with the dials. “I… I am sorry, Dave, but I’ll be back on Earth. I promise to keep an eye on Dirk for you.” Even though he had anticipated this kind of answer, and did not want her to leave, Dave could not bring himself to stop Rose from ascending a small circular platform and disappearing.

            “Damn.” Dave whispered, trying to decide whether it was worth being angry with Rose, especially when she had been so worried.

            “I know. It’s rough, buddy.” Davesprite’s lips twitched in amusement, Dave shaking his head to avoid outright laughter. “Anyway, I think I know how to manage this thing. Jade’s better with it, of course, but it can’t be too hard. The original pilot was a stuffed, robotic bunny. We should be able to figure it out.”

            Dave nodded. “Can’t be outwitted by some AI, can we? So, what direction do you think we should head in, bro?” There was all of space before them, and Dave had no idea what he was going to do, except kick some alien ass.

            “Why don’t we head for Ursa Minor? Kick it like the little bears we are.” Nodding, Dave turned to the instruments. This couldn’t be too hard, now could it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that I somehow manage to completely forget my posting schedule. I don't really have much of an excuse, as I've written ahead. However, definitely go check out the awesome fanart for this, from the requester herself. http://candycoatedcotton.tumblr.com/post/22769468671/
> 
> Someday, I will figure out how to link that more prettily. Midnight is not the time for that.


	6. Chapter 6

           Only Dave could manage something as incredibly stupid and statistically improbable as steering a starship _directly into one of the enemy’s main forces._ Of course, there being _two_ of him had probably compounded every ounce of bad luck Dave ever had, as well the poor choices he tended to make. Davesprite was currently flapping around command and control, quiet swearing liberally peppered with ‘peeps’. Which, Dave had to admit, was pretty fucking adorable. Damn, not an adjective he’d ever wanted to use in conjunction with any version of himself.

                    Dave left Davesprite plenty of space, giving the guy some time to regain his composure. He remembered how badly hormones used to mess with him, and it would take a moment to get past the antsy _‘oh shit’_ moment, and back to the deadpan expression. Meanwhile, it gave Dave time to think, to consider strategy. This was going to be trickier than the scouting party that had found them before.

                    “Damn, where are the weapons? I thought this was a battleship?” Dave growled, trying his best to keep the panic from sinking into his mind too. He needed to stay calm, figure out which of these many panels activated the huge guns on the ship’s sides. Shit, would the stuff in those even work on the Imperial Drones? What the fuck was it, anyway? Plasma? Cannonballs? Still, the ship’s weapons were a better plan than trying to work it all out with a sword. Time seemed to slow while Dave examined the main panels, everything around him fading as he concentrated on the brightly colored buttons before him.

                    God, he hoped this worked. Dave stretched out a hand, pressing a big yellow button. It was smiling up at him, with a face that looked like it had been drawn on with a sharpie. Whatever. Dave figured that the worse that could happen was that it turned out not to be the weapons system.

                    Well, that was one strike for him, Dave thought as a blaring siren sounded throughout the ship. He had almost forgotten just how much the universe liked to conspire against him. Dave bit his lip and looked at the panel again. Was that a red button? He was such a dumbass. Of course the weapons would be under the red button, and not some stupid smiley. Taking a deep breath, Dave pressed that button instead, and was rewarded with the loud bang of shots being fired from the fore of the ship, and of blinking lights suddenly appearing on the radar. Yes, this was much better. Best, though, was the fact that the weapons system seemed automated.

                    “Okay. Let’s go catch the stragglers.” Because, undoubtedly, there would be some, probably many, Drones that got past the line of fire. When Davesprite did not seem inclined to follow him, Dave turned to look at the featherhead. “You gonna help? Or are you checking into the Hotel California?”

                    That seemed to be enough to shake Davesprite from whatever loop of thought his panic had caused. “Sorry, man. I was spacing out for a moment. Let’s kick some bug ass.”

                    Even with previous experience to guide him, swords just were not the best way to kill Drones. Despite the advantage of flashstepping, it was incredibly inefficient to be limited to joints and soft areas. He and Davesprite made a good team, but Dave quickly realized that they could not hold back all of the Imperial Drones coming at them. Dave worked in silence, concealing his worry as best he could. They would do their best, would survive. Davesprite, on the other hand, was making a variety of shrieks that would have set any human enemy on edge. Dave had to wonder if the Drones could hear it at all, as unaffected as they were.

                    “How do you guys get in so much trouble?” John’s tone was just a little too exasperated to be considered joking, but there was still that undercurrent of laughter as he fell into place beside Dave, almost as if he had been there the whole time. “I can’t leave you alone for a minute!” John sounded so incredibly nonchalant, and Dave wondered why no bitter feelings arose in him from it. He usually hated patronizing words, because it belittled all of the work he had done to reach success, but something about John made Dave forgive him for it. Almost unthinkingly, John flicked his fingers, and several Drones went flying.

                    It felt good to hold his own in a fight, to stand side by side with someone who had saved his life and prove that he was no damsel in distress. “I think we were doing a damn good job of it, if you couldn’t tell.” The bodies of the Drones dissolved into things that looked oddly like Fruit Gushers, which neither Dave nor Davesprite had gone out of their way to pick up. The deck was littered with them now.

                    “Ha! You just hate admitting that you need me to save your ass.” Out came that ridiculously large hammer again. The one that was too big, even for someone with shoulders as broad and heavily muscled as John’s.

                    Both Dave and Davesprite replied in unison. “If that’s what floats your fucking boat, John.” In the last couple of hours, Dave had almost forgotten that Davesprite was literally a younger him, but with the banter that they were passing back and forth between them, and the words they used to needle John, it was pretty damn clear that they had the exact same thought pattern. And, with John’s help, it was almost easy to clear the last of the Imperial Drones. Dave knew he would never admit it… and neither would Davesprite, but he was glad that John had come along to help.

                    As they made their way back to the bridge, John laughing at both of them, and Davesprite snarking endlessly, Dave realized what was at the heart of what bothered him. “What were you thinking, leaving us alone like that?” Damn, that sounded so needy, but for once Dave didn’t care. This was important, and Dave wasn’t about to back down to keep up fucking appearances.

                    It was clear that John was uncomfortable with Dave’s anger. “We thought you’d be safe!” He insisted, voice dropping nearly an octave. “No shit was supposed to go down, Dave. It was supposed to be safe here. I mean, Jade and I thought there might be small game, like you and Rose took care of earlier, but nothing like this!” John’s agitation became more evident with every word.

                    “Did you ever consider that maybe ‘safety’ wasn’t one of my fucking concerns?” The look in Davesprite’s eyes echoed Dave’s concerns, and he knew that, for both of them, John’s safety was a higher priority than their own. “In case you were blind as hell, I was fighting this damn alien bitch _well_ before you came along, and your ever so considerate worries for my _safety_ aren’t going to stop me. If you want to keep an eye on me, you had better fucking well take me with you.”

                    John stared at Dave with wide eyes. “Why… didn’t you say anything?”

                    “Well, you did kind of teleport _without any fucking warning_.”

                    At least John had the grace to look sheepish. “I’m… sorry, Dave. I didn’t know you felt that way.”

                    “Well, I think I was pretty damn clear this time, John. If you are trying to fight this ‘Condesce’, you had better include me in your plans.”

                    Taking a deep breath, John squared his shoulders. “I think I can handle that.”


	7. Chapter 7

            John had been apologizing for almost an hour when Jade finally showed up. “I checked on Rose. I think she’s doing alright. Definitely remembering some of that Seer stuff!” Jade grinned, setting the large purse she had brought back with her on the ground. “I can’t believe you guys drove the ship right into some Drones!” She huffed, turning admonishing eyes on Davesprite. “You know, I was really worried about you.”

            Dave caught John’s eye roll, but was merely amused when Jade threw her arms around Davesprite, pulling the squawking sprite into a tight hug. “You shouldn’t be taking risks like that anymore,” Jade chastised, “you aren’t as expendable as you like to think.” Jade held the embrace for several moments longer before jumping away, whirling on Dave. “And you! You were supposed to stay safe here, not drag him into a fight!”

            “Jade?” John’s attempt at placating his sister went unnoticed as she shook a finger at Dave.

“I mean, what kind of fuckass takes our only refuge and drives it _right at the fucking enemy?_ What kind of idiot do you have to be to do that?”

“Jade…”

“WHAT?” Jade spun around, frown deepening. Before she could do anything too rash, Jade took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, John. I was just a little angry. What were you going to say?”

Squaring his shoulders, John began mulling his answer over. “Jade, Dave and Davesprite have been talking to me, and… well, they don’t like being left behind. I agree with them! I wouldn’t want to be stuck here alone either, haha.” Dave’s stomach dropped as John donned that disarming smile of his, the one that made everything alright, no matter what.

To his surprise, tears welled up in Jade’s eyes, and it took her effort to choke out words. “But… they aren’t God Tier!” Jade looked the two Daves up and down. “If either of you die, you won’t be coming back. And I don’t want that.”

Knowing, somewhere deep in his gut, that Davesprite wouldn’t be willing to lie through his teeth to make the same promise, Dave nodded at Jade. “We’ll be careful. You won’t need to worry in the slightest, because it will be like we are wrapped in a little cocoon of protection. Bubblewrapped and ready for shipping.” John’s snort at Dave’s wording was rewarded with a quick glare from Jade before she glanced at Davesprite.

“Cross my heart, Harley,” he asserted, raising his orange hands in hopes of placating her.

Defeated, Jade crossed her arms and sighed. “If there’s anything too dangerous, leave it to John and I, okay? Now, we need to go.” She said the latter with a slight wince.

“You promised!” Davesprite sounded pained.

“John and I won’t be fighting anything!” Jade looked guilty, despite her words. “The other party’s arrived, and we need you two to keep an eye on the ship while we set out some plans with them.”

“Why can’t we take the whole ship to them?” Dave asked, careful to keep his anger below the surface. No one had ever won an argument with a teenage girl by yelling at them.

Ah, it seemed he had cut to the heart of the matter, because Jade was waving her hands exasperatedly. “The Condesce can roughly track our ship. I don’t want to lead her straight to their meteor. We will be back soon, I promise! But…”

“So take Davesprite with you. Leave John with me.”

No one seemed to like Dave’s idea. Davesprite was shaking his head furiously, both John and Jade grimacing in a way that made them look more like siblings than ever. “What?” There were all kinds of possible explanations for why all three of them disliked the idea, but Dave wanted them to tell him, rather than supposing.

Suddenly, John was beside Dave, whispering in his ear. “The Dave our age is with them. He and Davesprite… don’t exactly get along.” John pulled away, flushing with shame, while Davesprite turned a darker orange.

That was something Dave could understand. Even between him and Davesprite, their thought processes were similar, but not exactly along the same lines. If Davesprite had experienced turning points, hardships that this new, young Dave never had, of course they would have opposing opinions. And, like the Striders they were, they would battle those opinions out. “You will be back? No fighting without us?”

John nodded, looking unnaturally solemn.

It took about two minutes after they left for Dave to stop choking on his frustrations. “I thought they said the other Dave wouldn’t be here for a while?” Dave whispered, sinking to the floor. For several moments, there was silence, but Dave had always hated silence, and had more than enough questions to fill it. “What happened?”

Davesprite settled down beside him, looking a little awkward until he flicked his tail out at an angle. “I was from a doomed timeline. John had died, and nothing was going well at all. I had to go back, make sure that something went right in at least one timeline. It was so good to have John back.”

Understanding began to dawn on Dave. “But he wasn’t your John, was he?”

“Ha! No. I managed to save him. But that timeline’s Dave started talking to the bitch that had killed my timeline’s John. He didn’t understand why it was _so far_ from cool to become her friend. And all John ever wanted was to talk to the _real_ Dave. At least Jadesprite understood. But then… she became one of them again, and I thought I was just going to be an extra again. John certainly felt that way for a while, until boredom got the better of all of us. ‘Oh, I forgot about Davesprite.’ Their Dave, he will never care that much about John. He won’t know how much it hurts.”

That made Dave pause in thought, considering Davesprite’s word. How very correct they were. He and Davesprite had both felt John’s absence keenly… would the younger Dave have felt that on his journey? Would he want to win John over to be his own? The very thought made Dave feel protective, jealous. This younger Dave clearly did not deserve his John, would not protect him like Dave would. It was clear at this point that Davesprite did not care for John the way he once had, that the passionate protectiveness Dave could see echoed in Davesprite had faded. He would give his life, just like Dave would, but it was better to do it from afar, to not have John’s remarks act like vinegar in a wound.

“We’ll take care of John.”

Davesprite murmured something that sounded like assent, while they stared into the depths of space.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave is disgruntled

            “I thought you said you wouldn’t keep haring off without me?” It felt like this was the hundredth time they had had this conversation in the last month. Dave wasn’t sure what was worse, that Jade kept teleporting John away without warning, or that John didn’t seem to think that Dave would care. At this point, Dave was pretty sure that their disappearances were a bit worse than just habit. With as many times as it was happening, the whole thing had to be on purpose. Whether it was Jade or John at fault, Dave did not know, but it was beginning to drive him up the wall.

            He could tell it was doing the same to Davesprite, because the poor sprite was _literally_ up the wall these days, making angry bird noises whenever Dave came near. It would have been a little more amusing if Dave weren’t trying to talk some sense into Davesprite, maybe get their collaborative powers on and bring John and Jade around, respectively.

            Not that either of the two ever really listened. Dave did his best to keep from showing how much of a headache it caused, but in between going out with John on what was essentially guerilla warfare strikes, all John seemed to do was flirt endlessly. At first, Dave had wondered if John meant the things he had said, but now… John had been on a battleship traveling through space for three years, with only Jade and Davesprite, and various creatures for company. Of course John didn’t mean the flirting. He probably didn’t even know it _was_ flirting, and it shouldn’t bothere Dave as much as it did. He liked to attribute his aggravation to the fact that it blocked any form of serious conversation that Dave tried to have.

            _“John…”_

_“Haha, your hair is so soft, Dave!”_

            Okay, Dave admitted. That had been a little weird to count as flirting, even with someone like John. The point was, the pseudo-flirting was distracting him from having an in depth conversation about John and Jade skipping off _whenever the hell they liked_ without either Dave or Davesprite to make sure they got back to the ship safely.

            “Dave, your hair looks really good today.”

            The way John delivered the remark almost had Dave seeing red. He needed to calm. The fuck. Down. “We were discussing something serious, John.” He hated how that word, ‘serious’, made John tense up, act skittish. “Were you trying to pull a fast one on me? Or do you just keep forgetting, and I should shine up that Rememberall that’s hanging around?”

            By this point, John was fidgeting horrifically. “Dave, I’m sorry! I’ll talk to Jade about it, I promise.” John had said the same words so many times, and Dave wasn’t sure if he should trust John any more this time, just because he seemed all the more serious about it. “I’m sorry that I keep forgetting! Jade doesn’t like to talk about it, and we’re both so worried about you two…”

            “There you guys are!” Frustration sparked in Dave’s mind, though he quelled it as Jade approached them. It was clear that she had something for them to do, something that would actually allow Dave to go with John for once. No disappearing without him this time. Hopefully never again. “There’s a pretty loaded truck on its way out from the Crocker Corp base on the East Coast. I think it’d be best if you two took it out on route, before those Drones get somwhere they can be activated.”

            “So, where are we going to hit it, Jade?” Dave had wanted to adopt Davesprite’s name for her. Harley fit, rolled off of his tongue better, but there was something about the way Davesprite used it. So Dave stuck with a single, harsh syllable of a first name. “I don’t fancy taking a semi out in the middle of a highway. It’s too open. Too much room for error.”

            Jade nodded at Dave, understanding written on her face. “I’ve picked out a rural road. They’ll only be on it for forty minutes, so whenever you’re ready to go, I’ll send you!”

            Practice made perfect, and Dave was an old hat at dropping whatever inane activities he was doing and hopping onto the teleportation train. With one brief look at John, he knew they were ready, were always ready, and Dave nodded at Jade. “What are you waiting for, darling? The crickets to sing?”

            The battle itself wasn’t much harder. The greatest difficulty was in dealing with a  semi-truck that was traveling at a _ridiculously_ high speed for this winding road. The driver was human, and it was one of the rules that they left humans alive, no matter their connection to the Batterwitch. All in all, it was an easy raid. Something Jade could give him to do without putting him in ‘too much danger’, and all at once Dave resented that she _dared_  -that anyone ever dared- decide what was or wasn’t safe enough for him to do. Dave was not an infant to be coddled and protected.

            Dave had opened his mouth to say something about it to John when the air buzzed with power, with that strange pressure that came when someone nearby was teleported. Dave straightened from where he had been tying the driver up, eyes searching for John, who he knew was gone.

            Fuck that Harley girl. No one took his John from him.

            With the semi ruined from their attack, Dave was left walking along the road, seething in a pit of negative emotions. Maybe now he’d actually be able to help against the aliens, rather than sitting around the spaceship like a depressed and sighing housewife. Resolving his anger into nothing more than a slight frown, Dave tucked his hands into his pockets, and started working his way south.

            “Dave? Dave Strider? What do you think you’re attempting to do?” That voice… Dave turned to see Rose fucking Lalonde watching him from a sensible sedan.

            What the hell was she doing here? “I was taking a nice afternoon walk, Lalonde. And you?” Better to keep his anger well under wraps.

            “I would be here to pick up you, oh angsting hero. I will admit, my timing can be improved upon, but I did manage to find the right road. So, are you going to get in, or shall I let you walk all the way to your safe house?”

            Even though he would rather seethe bitterly, Dave knew he wouldn’t be getting anywhere on foot. At least, not in any reasonable time frame. Might as well get in the car with Lalonde. “Did Jade send you along, as part of the plan to keep me safe?”

            Rose’s laughter galled Dave, burning like bile in his throat. “No. Once our friends had drawn attention to my former powers as a Seer, I decided it might be to my benefit to exercise them. I saw that you would be here now, that our friend Davesprite is back at the safe house I have been inhabiting for these past few weeks.”

            “And John? Jade?”

            A frown spread across Rose’s face. “I don’t understand why, but much of what they do is hidden from me. I have tried to see their plans, so that I can work with them rather than around them, but,” Rose sighed, glaring at the road in front of her. “it is a mystery to me.”

            Dave looked down at his hands, calloused from swordwork and dirty from hauling ass in the middle of the woods. “What do I do?”

            “What you do, Strider, is relax, is check in on Dirk, because if he doesn’t think you’re dead at this point, I would hail it as a miracle. And you wait. They did not want any of us there, thought it would make them vulnerable. They will be back for you soon."

            “Very nice, Lalonde. I’m glad you care about my morale.” Dave wanted to believe her, but it was so hard when he took John and Jade’s behavior into account.

            “Shut up and call the boy, so I can drive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY I keep forgetting to post. I have everything all done at this point, and I just... forget to post... I am so busy... OTL


	9. Chapter 9

            He wasn’t sulking. It would be beyond ridiculous to think that he, a mature adult, would sulk. Surrounded by friends in his own safe house, no less. How very absurd… Dave sighed. He _was_ sulking. He and Davesprite both were, and no amount of deception, whether it was a lie aimed at himself or others, would change that. It had only been a few hours, and yet Rose was already getting exasperated with both of them. At least Davesprite had found one of the cottage’s nice window seats, and curled up in the sun to grumble and peep. It was a little cute, in all honesty, especially once Davesprite had fallen asleep. Dave, on the other hand, had cycled through nervous pacing and nervous channel surfing, until Rose looked like she would strangle him just to get a little pease.

            “A cottage isn’t exactly your style, Strider. Far from what I had expected when Jade left me here, and much more suited to my tastes than I could ever have anticipated. Quite quaint, actually."

"Well, it would hardly be a 'safe house' if everyone expected me to stay here, now would it? Besides, I contract out the setup of my safe houses when I can. Best to not be involved, as long as certain parameters are met." Dave wrinkled his nose at the floral paintings on the walls. It had Internet access, room for three, and a nice flat screen. So what if the interior designer had a completely different taste in furnishings from Dave's own? His criteria had been met. If the place had just been slightly more ominous, a tad more gothic, Dave would have said the place fit Rose nicely. Certainly, Dave could not find it in him to mind the artistic clutter, nice vases with fake flowers. Not when there were more important things to talk about, to think about.

Rose hesitated briefly, hovering beside Dave for a moment before laying an awkward, but comforting hand on his shoulder. "They are coming back for you, Strider. They won't leave you to rot with an overly verbose fantasy author. You'd be too likely to run right into the enemy's hands if you were stuck with me too long."

The laugh Dave responded with was weak. It was true, he would likely go back to work at whittling away Crocker Corp, just like he had before. Draw any and all attention he could away from John. "You know I wouldn't be doing anything you wouldn't do, Lalonde."

“Oh, and I believe it, Strider. You would spend your days sitting in a purple armchair, pulling strings like a spider in her web. None of this foolish explosion nonsense. All of the intrigue, without ever having to leave the comfort of home.” Rose grinned up at Dave, and for a moment it struck him how normal they actually were.

Normal alien hunters working with people who could teleport as they wished.

Well, no comparison was perfect.

Dave closed his eyes, turning his responding smile inward. “Nah, I don’t think so. Wouldn’t want to turn into an old cat lady, would I?”

“Dave, what are you talking about?”

What? Dave’s eyes shot open. Where a sunny and overly floral living room had been, his face was bathed in artificial light, and it was John who stood before him now. Dave wasn’t sure whether to be excited that he was back, or sad that his conversation had been interrupted. Rose could be quite soothing to speak with. “I was talking to Rose. So, finally decided to let me in on the fun?” It was hard, keeping the bitterness from cropping into his voice.

But John only looked sad. “I’m really sorry, Dave. I talked to Jade, and I promise it won’t happen again. She’s apologizing to Davesprite right now.” John sounded so intensely sorry, and all Dave really wanted to do was pull him into a hug, but... how could he trust John this time, when he had blown Dave off so many times before?

“And she won’t do it until the next time something big happens?” Dave’s words bit the air like a spring frost. Maybe John actually meant it, but Jade was another matter entirely, and Dave knew he didn’t trust her to keep the promise John had made. Not after this last month of shit.

Long, thin fingers that were several shades darker than Dave’s own reached for him. They took Dave’s hand and uncurled the fist Dave hadn’t realized he’d been making. “I mean it this time, Dave. Jade and I were being complete assholes about it. I just didn’t realize it until she took me like that. I’m really, really sorry. I’m sorry for leaving you all the time, but especially there on the road like that. Do you want me to tell you what happened?”

That look in John’s eyes made Dave just want to pull him into a hug, tell him that it was all okay. That he forgave him for everything that had happened. Instead, Dave just nodded. “Alright, you got me on the hook. Tell me what was so urgent that Jade kidnapped you.”

“Dave… well, the other Dave and the other Rose, they wanted us to put Skaia, which is basically the big boss battlefield, in place, and they expected some big shit to go down when we did it.”

When John didn’t continue for several moments, Dave sighed. “And? Did it?”

“Not the way they expected. The carapaces wanted us to set up the battlefield for them, so nothing showed up until after we were done. When they did…” John sighed, lowering his eyes. Was that a flush? Of shame? “The Derse carapaces had hostages, and we couldn’t free them.”

“Hostages?”

“Yeah, the Derse dreamers for this session. So… Rose’s kid? And yours, I guess.” No. Dave’s stomach plummeted. He had just checked on Dirk, while he and Rose were on their way to the safe house. It wasn’t… it couldn’t. John seemed to see the panic on his face, because he squeezed Dave’s hand. “Hey, it’s just the dreamers. They’re probably still alive on earth, too.”

Even so, Dave hated the idea of Dirk, _any_ incarnation of Dirk, being held prisoner. “John, we have to get Dirk and Roxy away from those carapace things.”

“That’s what we were planning, Dave!”

“No, John, we have to do it now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to set an alarm or something to remind me to post chapters.


	10. Chapter 10

            “How do you expect to do that?” John leaned forward, so close that Dave could feel John’s breath on his face. “Jade and Rose both said it would have to wait. That it wasn’t possible at this point. The Dersites are expecting us to do something about it.” John’s eyes were huge, frightened. “What are we going to do?”

            Dave grimaced, “They expect you to do something about it, not me. If we work together, we can get Dirk and Roxy out. I know it.” Too late, he realized that assuming John would just go along with this was a probably a bit dickish. Why would John risk his life in this dangerous ploy? “Will you come with me?”

            John just stared at Dave for one long, incredulous moment. “Of course I’m going with you! I can’t let you do something like that by yourself!” John threw his arms around Dave, hugging him despite how tenseness in Dave’s shoulders. It was nice, warm. Safe. Exactly the opposite of what Dirk - Dirk’s dreamself-  had right now. And that was something, as Dirk’s guardian, that Dave had to fix. John watched the determination grow on Dave’s face, and whispered, “Don’t worry, Dave. We’ll get them back.”

            Unfortunately for both of them, their rescue efforts required sneaking off of the battleship, which Dave thought would probably be difficult. “Didn’t you say something about Jade being omniscient? If she knows everything, she’ll know our plan. Hardly the best circumstances to mount a secret rescue mission.”

            Fidgeting, John pulled away. “Jade doesn’t know everything. Not exactly… She has to be paying attention, want to know it. And I’ve figured out that there are some ways to hide from everyone, even Jade and Rose! I mean, they wear off quickly, especially if you aren’t focusing on them, but it is possible.” John worried his lip between teeth, looking at Dave with considering eyes. “They can be a little creepy, though, and a bit hard. The trolls taught us this trick with thinking…” As John continued to elaborate, Dave began to understand why John would call it ‘creepy’.

            Working under Jade’s nose like this was a little uncomfortable. Dave was used to secrecy, both working in secret and attempting to expose the secrets of others, but this was more than he had done in a long time. He had not had many ‘friends’ of late, no reason to feel guilt over any secret that he decided to keep from the world. But these people he had hardly known for a month, they were all dear to his heart. He wanted to do everything in his power to protect them. It wasn’t like he felt an obligation, similar to the compulsion to guide and guard Dirk, but merely a desire rooted deep in his heart to make sure his new friends were safe. Dave wanted to let them know the whole truth. Davesprite would have understood, that Dave knew. But Jade… she was the reason they had to move in secrecy. They had to keep it all from her, and Dave could not help but feel horrible about that.

            “Dave! Hurry up!” John’s whisper was sharp, a lot like the elbow he poked into Dave’s side. “We’ve got to go now, if you want to reach Skaia!” It seemed that John did not share any of Dave’s misgivings about leaving Davesprite and Jade behind, with no warning… no note as to where they had gone. “Let’s skip this joint!” And, with those four words, John pulled Dave out to the middle of space. It made no sense, how this worked. But they were flying toward Skaia, and toward saving Dirk. That was what mattered right now, more than leaving Jade and Davesprite behind.

            Dave was surprised to see the first of the glowing spirographs. He hadn’t seen one since he was a child, drawing them with those stupid kits that had taken forever to figure out. What the hell was the thing supposed to mean? The spirograph was glowing an angry red, not exactly the best sign, and John was dragging him right into it. “What is that?”

            “Shut up, Dave. It’s a gate. How did you think we would get to Skaia?”

            “Well, we are flying through space right now, John. Are you sure we need to…” But it was too late. They had gone through the portal, and man was it a turbulent ride.

            John managed to soften their landing on Skaia, but they were still pretty banged up. It was enough that Dave decided they needed to rest, shake off some of the pains of their journey. God, he wished John would have warned him. Except John seemed just as shaken and confused about it as he was, so maybe this wasn’t normal.

            “We probably shouldn’t have come.”

            John laughed, a subtle tremor of his torso as he lay splayed across the checkered ground. “We’ve all done things we shouldn’t, Dave. But I’m glad to be here with you, and that we came to rescue Dirk and Roxy.” John spoke the names with some hesitation, as if trying to drag them up from the depths of his memory. “It was the right thing to do.”

            Another laugh sounded as Dave made a face. ‘Right thing’ indeed. “The right thing isn’t always the best thing, though.” At least, that was what Dave had convinced himself over the years. “We could still go back, if you want.”

            “Hell no!” John was vehement, sitting up to stare down at Dave, fire in his eyes. “You know, Jade and I weren’t supposed to save you and Rose. But we did, because it was the right thing to do. And I am really glad we did, because you are one of the best things to happen since we started this stupid game.”

            In the moments where Dave was still trying to understand the enormity of what John had just said, John began to lean forward. Dave had never believed in real heroes, in people who did the right thing even when it posed a threat to themselves, just because it was the right thing. But John… John was definitely a hero.

            A hero that was kissing him? Dave stiffened, and John pulled away, flushing bright red. “I’m sorry! I just… I’m sorry.” John was worrying his lip between his teeth again, and something clicked in Dave’s mind.

            “It’s cool, John. Cooler than the fucking Antarctic. You got the jump on me, that was all.” Dave tried to quell the light shaking that had started when John had kissed him. Dave hadn’t thought he was attracted to John, but this certainly reminded him that he was more than capable of lying to himself. He had thought it impossible, and had blocked out any desire that might have brought him pain.

            Fuck his personal crisis. John was rambling now, and Dave could think of only one way to silence him. “Do you want to try that again? Maybe we’ll get it right this time.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to set an alarm or something to remind me to post chapters. (And this was written before we knew how much of a BAMF Dirk was.)


	11. Chapter 11

            It was a couple of hours before enough of his muscles had stopped aching that Dave was feeling up to sneaking through enemy territory in search of two teenagers. The very thought had him wondering how Dirk was doing. Dave didn’t even want to begin to think about what the carapaces must have done to incapacitate Dirk and keep him quiet, much less keep him in their care for long enough to transport him and parade him in front of John. Dirk wouldn’t have taken lightly to being kidnapped, nor to being treated like a trophy.

            Dave’s first instinct said drugs, but he couldn’t rule anything out. Not when he was so new to fighting this enemy. For all he knew, they could have had Dirk’s dreamself in their pocket this whole time. That thought frightened Dave the most, that he and John would get there and Dirk _wouldn’t_ want to leave with them.

            So Dave did his best not to think about it. After all, John’s kiss was certainly worth the time to mull over. “Why me?”

            “Hmm?” John looked up from the piece of grass he had been twisting between his fingers. “What do you mean?” For the first time since Dave had met him, John looked peaceful, just calmly content.

            “You know three Daves. So why are you mackin’ on me?” The Dave that John had known for the least amount of time. The Dave who was the biggest asshole… well, Dave had to assume that one, because he had not met the younger Dave. But generally, it was a pretty good bet.

            For several moments, John stared at Dave with an expression that told him that John expected this all to be a joke. When John finally realized that it wasn’t, he took a deep breath. “I’m in love with you. Not Davesprite, not the Dave with the trolls. You. The one who blew up a factory to protect people he didn’t even know.”

            Dave was aghast. “Don’t say that like I’m some sort of fucking hero, John. I’m a great bag of dicks who has some common sense and a sword.”

            When John scooted closer, Dave pulled back, looking away. He didn’t want a hug right now, a kiss or handholding. Why, in all the circles of hell, would someone as good as John like him?

            Finally getting a handle on his emotions, Dave looked back up from his knees, meeting John’s earnest gaze. “You’re my hero, Dave.” John stood up, brushing dust from his pants and smiling down at Dave. A little more action, rather than thought, would do Dave some good. “What do you think? Another kiss for the road?” John extended a hand to Dave, teeth once again tugging at his lower lip.

            With that pathetic look on John’s side, it was a wonder Dave ever managed to remain stubborn with the guy. Dave took the offered hand and climbed to his feet. It felt odd, having someone who liked him for who he was, who thought he was valiant. All Dave ever felt was a little stupid. But, as weird as he felt about it, Dave accepted John’s kiss. It was a good feeling, to be wrapped in John’s arms, tingling and warm. The kiss might have spanned minutes, or been mere moments. Something about having John’s lips on his own distorted Dave’s sense of time, but he did know one thing.

            They needed to get moving. “Let’s go save some Dersite ass, John.” The only response John gave was an encouraging grin back in Dave’s direction.

            It was a long way to the Carapace camp. It wasn’t entirely what Dave had expected of a futuristic army, but then again, nothing was what he had expected since the Batterwitch had moved into the universe. There were tents everywhere, with nothing terribly camouflaged. Just an endless sea of purple and black.

            It was easier than Dave had expected to figure out which tent Dirk and Roxy were being kept in. On the other hand, it was ridiculously hard to sneak in there. Every time Dave pushed John into the narrow recesses between tents, he earned a glare. The camp was fairly busy for a standing army that seemed pretty fucking at home. What did they need to do? Polish their armor?

            Based on some of the sounds in the tents, more than a few were intent on polishing their swords.

            As soon as it flashed through his mind, Dave realized that he really would rather not dwell on that thought. Especially not with the faces John was making, and the prisoner tent within sight. It would be so easy to just flashstep in there, but that would leave John out in the open. Their only choice was to stick with their laborous method of slinking through the camp. It was slow, agonizing. Like most successful plans are. Dave’s thoughts were a litany of profanity, and he was glad for the time he had to calm them. Unfortunately, it seemed like he was going to have more than enough of that, because the aisles between tents were packed tight with carapaces as they neared the prisoner tent.

            It took ages to get in there. It was like dancing something rather baroque, slow, winding, and extremely confusing. But, somehow, they had managed to get in without alerting any carapaces. It seemed nearly miraculous. Dave ran to check on Dirk, worry creeping onto his normally impassive face. It looked like both Dirk and Roxy were sleeping, tied to heavy beds in a position that looked far from comfortable. Dave bent over Dirk, ready to start prodding at the boy’s restraints, when Dirk’s eyes flashed open. Orange eyes met red and held them for several long moments.

            “Shock collar.”

            Dirk’s lips barely moved. If Dave hadn’t been watching his protégé so intently, he would have mistaken it for an exhale like any other. Dave glanced over at Roxy. She was lacking the black ring around her neck that Dirk was sporting. Maybe the kid had caused more of a problem than Dave had thought.

            Well, Dirk wouldn’t be the carapace’s problem for much longer. There was more than one way to safely remove a shock collar, though Dave would never divulge where he had learned that. The important thing was that, once it was off, Dirk managed to free himself with ease. John was at Roxy’s side, unbuckling the straps that held her to the bed.

            “She’s a bit of a sleepwalker,” was the only explanation Dirk provided for when Roxy slowly rose to hover above her bed, eyes still shut tight.

            “Dave!” John broke the quiet, a horrified look in eyes that were focused on something behind Dave’s shoulder. It was enough of a warning that Dave managed to avoid knife-like claws to his kidney, but got a shallow cut on his side for his efforts.

            “Knew we shouldn’t have kept the damn kids.” The voice was raspy, grating, coming from a carapace with a spades emblem on his uniform. And, seeing the dagger the carapace had pulled out, a blade with impeccable balance, Dave knew that the carapace’s next attack wouldn’t be at him.

            “Go!” Dave jumped in front of Dirk, catching the thrown dagger in his shoulder, which he considered a good shade better than in Dirk’s viscera. It was painful, and Dave could feel his muscles scrape along the edge of the blade, but instinct had his greatsword in his hands, taking off the carapace’s arm, hoping to distract him from throwing another dagger.

            Green light surrounded Dave, and the battle slipped away, along with the carapace he had been fighting.

            Jade’s voice had never been so shrill before. “ARE YOU ALL IDIOTS?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GDI I forgot to post AGAIN.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fixed the problem with chapter nine! Sorry about that.

            “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WENT INTO THE CARAPACIAN CAMP WITH NO BACKUP, FUCKASSES!”

            “Harley? Hey, Harley!” Davesprite hovered over Jade’s shoulder, poking at the ranting girl’s ears.

            “WHAT?” Though she was still yelling, Jade’s expression softened when she turned to Davesprite.

            “They’re alive, Harley. We should get Dave bandaged up, though.” Dave wasn’t sure if Davesprite said it that way to calm Jade down, or as a subtle jab at Dave for actually getting wounded. Whatever it was, he’d take a concerned woman over a screaming one any day.

            However, Davesprite wasn’t the only one who had noticed that there was still a knife in Dave’s shoulder. John was already by Dave’s arm, grimacing at pain that Dave didn’t really feel any more.  It was probably shock, or something like that, but all Dave really felt was relief that they had made it back safely. Dirk saluted him as he and Roxy floated away above Jade’s head, and that had been all Dave had wanted or needed.

            “It’s going to be okay, Dave. Jade is great at sewing things up! It’s because she grew up on a deserted island!” Dave drew his eyebrows together. Why were they fussing so much? It wasn’t like he was even bleeding that badly. In fact, the way they were rushing this was probably making it worse. As long as he held his shoulder still, the damage wouldn’t get much worse.

            Once the dagger was removed, Jade’s frown only deepened. Large salamanders handed her various fungi that she stuffed into Dave’s wound with what might be considered excessive effort. As his peculiar calm wore off, the pain came back in full force. And hell, did it hurt, but not as badly as some of the wounds Dave had gotten over the years. If it healed properly, Dave would probably even keep his full range of motion. Not too bad, as far as wounds went. He’d have to keep in practice to stay limber, but there was nothing too wrong with his shoulder. Except for the fact that an angry woman with dog ears had stuffed it with mushrooms, and was now wrapping it in linen, like he might become tonight’s gourmet roast. And, of course, they way John was hovering.

            “It’s alright, John. I’ve gotten much worse sparring with Dirk. Little fucker has better aim that that idiot of a carapace.”

            “You jumped right into his knife!” John looked more indignant than Dave had thought possible.

            Dave shrugged with his good shoulder. “I couldn’t let him hit Dirk. This little scratch is better than anyone being dead.” He almost took that statement back, the way Jade’s grip tightened on his shoulder. Okay, so maybe it hadn’t been the best idea he had ever had. Still better than Dirk dying on him. “Thank you for the bandages, Nurse Harley.” While John evidently approved of this wording, Dave’s remark earned him a cold glare from Davesprite and a vicious poke in the shoulder from Jade. Ready to get away from the scrutiny, Dave stood up, and everything went black.

            Dave didn’t know how much later it was when he finally woke up. It was always hard to tell the passing of time when he was unconscious. Since passing out, Dave’s side had been bandaged up cleanly, and he had been tucked into the bed he had been using for the last month. The bed was warmer than he remembered, and the heat was beginning to lull him back to sleep when Dave realized something, a strangled sound dying in his throat.

            The warmth was all coming from behind his back, which should have been against a cold metal wall.

            “Dave?” John mumbled, leveraging himself up onto his elbow. “Is something wrong?”

            For one panicked moment, Dave could not bring himself to answer. His thoughts were too jumbled to put words together in an understandable order. And, in his panic, what ended up coming out was harsher than what he had wanted to say. “I know I’m a hot item, John, but hopping into my bed is a bit forward.”

            A snort told Dave that John wasn’t buying his calm. Not in the slightest. “Hey, if you getting poisoned is what it takes to get a bit of cuddling in, I’m not about to waste it! Besides, Jade said you need to keep a steady temperature until the poison’s cleared.”

            “And a blanket wasn’t enough for you? You had to make sure I stayed warm yourself?” Despite his words, Dave wasn’t moving. Between his shoulder, and the odd burning in his hip, he didn’t really feel like moving out of John’s arms. They made him feel safe, content. Even if he was snarking. “Poison was in the claws, I’m guessing.”

            “Yup. And besides, where would I sit? You have no furniture in here at all! Cuddling was definitely the best option.” John laid back down, snuggling against Dave’s back and wrapping one protective arm around Dave.

            “I suppose cuddling isn’t so bad,” Dave mumbled, his eyes starting to drift shut again. He had questions, comments to make, but he was feeling so very sleepy.

            John chuckled, his breath warm against Dave’s ear. “It isn’t, is it? Should try something before you trash it next time, man. I’m pretty sure you’re still supposed to be sleeping, though. Jade gave you enough tranqs to knock Hephaestus out.” Long fingers swept Dave’s hair away from his face. “I don’t know how you managed to wake up in the first place.”

            “I had to know,” Dave murmured, blinking as John’s hands continued to play with his hair.

            “Know what?”

            “That you were still okay.” In John’s stunned silence, Dave relaxed his neck, letting the pillow do its work… and realized his shades had gone missing. The Ben Stiller shades. Where were they? Of _course_ John would have taken them off. But… Dave rolled a little, trying to get a better look at John. “My shades…”

            John rolled his eyes, more vibrant than Dave could see from behind the sunglasses, smiling at Dave. “Don’t worry. I put them in a safe place. Now sleep. If you need anything, I’ll be right here.”

            Waiting for Dave’s nod of assent, John sighed happily. “Good night, Dave.” Were boyfriends supposed to kiss each other goodnight? Were they even boyfriends? Deciding to cut his losses, John pressed his lips sweetly to Dave’s temple. By the time he pulled away, the elder man had fallen asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything should be working now. I feel very silly, having so many problems ugh. Anyway, this is the end c: Hope you guys enjoyed it.

            “You feeling any better Dave?”

            “Ha, like a knife to the shoulder and a bit of poison is going to keep me down, Jade. You should know by now that I stick around like a bad penny” Dave’s shoulder was still tender, and it would be a while until he could spar like he used to, but Dave was tired of lying around in bed. Even if it had meant being in John’s arms. Pretty much the only upside to being bedridden while the world was going to hell on a cake alien’s ship. Well, another benefit had been the stories John would tell him, the grand explanations of how the whole game worked.

            And, for the first time in years, Dave had not had any nightmares. John’s cuddles had magical properties. That was the only plausible explanation for it. He was pretty sure they had special healing powers too, because John’s every touch made the pain lessen.

            Or that might have been the distracting thoughts that came up with John’s touches. Either way, Dave never complained. Not when John held him close, or when John hovered like a nervous ninny, fingers never far from Dave’s arm as they climbed stairs to the deck.

            Jade and Davesprite weren’t nearly as worried as John was. Green eyes met his appraisingly, flickering with satisfaction. “Oh, believe me, Dave, I know you stick like glue. You up for reconnaissance?” Jade glanced at Davesprite, a feeling of humor passing between them.

            It was Davesprite who answered, though. “We’d better not send him. Can’t risk him busting stitches while trying to die like some fucking movie hero.”

            Where once he might have gotten annoyed, Dave only felt relieved. Try as he could, the wound was still fresh enough that he was severely immobilized. It made him feel old, almost useless. But, then again, what Strider worth his salt couldn’t use his weapon one-handed? If Jade had really asked, Dave would have gone, and the result might not have been the best.

            John was hovering so close to Dave, clearly fighting the impulse to put a protective arm around Dave’s waist. “Damn right, Dave isn’t going anywhere.”

            “Woah, woah. I know I’m a pretty lady, but there’s no need to fight over me. What was the mission, Jade?” Dave slung his free arm around John’s shoulder, disguising the best way of relieving the pain in his hip as casual touching. Well… maybe he was doing it more for the contact than his hip. “Or are you all too worried that I’ll slip off on it anyway?”

            Jade shook her head at the two of them. “Since you’re so fond of rescue missions, I thought you might want to rescue Jane from where we found her. It turns out the Condesce has anti-teleportation tech on her ship. But it we’ve already got someone on it.”

            That surprised Dave. So the whole query had been to needle him? “Who is it? Because this Karkat character you all keep talking about sounds a little fishy.” John snorted, and Davesprite grinned. They all thought Karkat was hilarious, and surprisingly competent, for all of his ranting.

            “It’s Roxy. Rose’s daughter? She’s the only person not one of us can track, even the Condesce, so it’s perfect.” Jade grinned. “Meanwhile, Rose tells me that everyone is about to enter the Medium, so we should get ready for them.” Dave felt John’s breath hitch at the news, but it was hard to tell whether it was out of excitement or anxiety.

            Giving John’s shoulder a soothing rub, Dave asked, “Putting together a party? _’Welcome to a living videogame’_ sort of thing?” It was a grim prospect, actually. Save the Earth, but leave it forever. Nothing that anyone that young should have to decide. On the other hand, maybe that was why it was never adults who were called upon to play the game.

            Everyone was already shaking their heads at Dave. “The others are getting ready to take out the Condesce as soon as Roxy has Jane off of the mothership. We get to prepare for the fight against Jack.”

            That shocked Dave, and John sent him a worried look at Dave’s gasp. “You mean the thing that is fucking _invincible?_ How are we supposed to fight that?”

            “We’re pretty smart, aren’t we? I’m sure we’ll think of something while we’re getting ready.”

            And, as frightening a prospect as it was, that was really all that anyone had to say on the matter.

            It turned out that Jade’s way to Skaia was much faster than John’s method of sneaking about. A blink of an eye, and they were there, with another carapacian camp of white and gold. Rose was there with them, looking a little disheveled and disgruntled, but a welcome sight nonetheless. Dave had missed talking to her in the weeks he had spent recovering.

            “I do not appreciate being kidnapped from my home, Jade.” Rose’s eyes had settled on Dave, then, taking in the bandages and his stiffness. “Got a little cocky, Strider?”

            “Have I ever been anything else, Lalonde?” They stared at each other for several long moments before breaking into grins, “You here to document everything in a compendium?”

            “I have been reliably informed that my younger self has been doing that, around reading Alien erotica.” Rose’s grin only grew, her teeth pearly white against black lipstick.

            Dave snorted. “Of course you would enjoy alien smut.”

            They were still conversing when Dirk and some boy named Jake, who looked eerily similar to both John and Jade, showed up, already thick as thieves. A curt nod passed between the Striders, and Dave had remained sitting between John and Rose. When Roxy and Jane arrived, though, Rose had jumped up and ran to her daughter, enveloping the bedraggled girl in a hug. “I was exceptionally worried about you, young woman.”

            “Mom, get off of me! My friends can see us!”

            Only moments later, a meteor appeared on the horizon, and Jade had appeared from whatever corner of the camp she and Davesprite had gone haring off to, hands twisting to bring her friends off of the grey mass in the sky. Something turned over in Dave’s heart, seeing a younger version of himself in dorky red pajamas, but John took Dave’s hand and scooted closer, almost protective.

            “WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO HAVE A FUCKING PICNIC WHEN WE’RE ABOUT TO FACE JACK NOIR? OH, HERE, I BROUGHT SOME GRUBLOAF WITH ME. DIG RIGHT IN!”

            “I assume that’s Karkat? He needs to chill out.” Dave whispered into John’s wild hair.

            “I HEARD THAT, ASSHOLE! YOU CAN BITE ME, STRIDER.”

            Shaking with laughter, John wound his fingers around Dave’s. “You should come sit with us, Karkat! We have plenty of time to plan!”

            Time, Dave thought, was something they would never run out of.


End file.
